Part 4 (2/2)

Hamlet's killing _Polonius_, was in Conformity to the Plan _Shakespeare_ built his Play upon; and the Prince behaves himself on that Occasion, as one who seems to have his Thoughts bent on Things of more Importance. I wish the Poet had omitted _Hamlet's_ last Reflection on the Occasion, _viz. This Counsellor, &c._ It has too much Levity in it; and his _tugging_ him away into another Room, is unbecoming the Gravity of the rest of the Scene, and is a Circ.u.mstance too much calculated to raise a Laugh, which it always does. We must observe, that _Polonius_ is far from a good Character, and that his Death is absolutely necessary towards the _Denouement_ of the whole Piece. And our Hero had not put him to Death, had not he thought it to have been the Usurper hid behind the _Arras_; so that upon the Whole, this is no Blemish to his Character.

Hamlet's Behaviour to the King, &c. (Act _fourth_, p 320 and Sequel,) concerning _Polonius's_ Body, is too jocose and trivial.

Page 326. _Enter_ Fortinbra.s.s _with an Army_.

This is a Conduct in most of our Author's Tragedies, and in many other of our Tragedy Writers, that is quite unnatural and absurd; I mean, introducing an Army on the Stage. Although our Imagination will bear a great Degree of Illusion, yet we can never so far impose on our Knowledge, and our Senses, as to imagine the Stage to contain an Army: Therefore in such a Case, the Recital of it, or seeing the Commander, and an Officer or Two of it, is the best Method of conducting such a Circ.u.mstance. _Fortinbra.s.s's_ Troops are here brought in, I believe, to give Occasion for his appearing in the last Scene, and also to give Rise to _Hamlet's_ reflections thereon, (p. 327.) which tend to give some Reasons for his deferring the Punishment of the Usurper.

Laertes's Character is a very odd one; it is not easy to say, whether it is good or bad; but his consenting to the villainous Contrivance of the Usurper's to murder _Hamlet_, (p. 342.) makes him much more a bad Man than a good one. For surely Revenge for such an accidental Murder as was that of his Father's (which from the Queen, it is to be supposed he was acquainted with all the Circ.u.mstances of) could never justify him in any treacherous Practices. It is a very nice Conduct in the Poet to make the Usurper build his Scheme upon the generous unsuspicious Temper of the Person he intends to murder, and thus to raise the Prince's Character by the Confession of his Enemy, to make the Villain ten Times more odious from his own Mouth. The Contrivance of the Foil unbated (i.e. without a b.u.t.ton) is methinks too gross a Deceit to go down even with a Man of the most unsuspicious Nature.

The Scenes of _Ophelia's_ Madness are to me very shocking, in so n.o.ble a Piece as this. I am not against her having been represented mad; but surely, it might have been done with less Levity and more Decency.

Mistakes are less tolerable from such a Genius as _Shakespeare's_ and especially in the very Pieces which give us such strong Proofs of his exalted Capacity. Mr. _Warburton's_ Note (in Mr. _Theobalds_) on _Laertes's_ Rebellion, is very judicious, (as indeed are all those of that Gentleman) only I cannot think _Laertes_ (for the Reasons I have given) a good Character.

ACT V.

The Scene of the Grave-Diggers. (p. 344.) I know is much applauded, but in my humble Opinion, is very unbecoming such a Piece as this, and is only pardonable as it gives Rise to _Hamlet's_ fine moral Reflections upon the Infirmity of human Nature.

Page 354.

Hamlet's Return to _Denmark_ is not ill contriv'd; but I cannot think that his Stratagem is natural or easy, by which he brings that Destruction upon the Heads of his Enemies, which was to have fallen upon himself. It was possible, but not very probable; because methinks, their Commission was kept in a very negligent Manner, to be thus got from them without their knowing it. Their Punishment was just, because they had devoted themselves to the Service of the Usurper in whatever he should command, as appears in several Pa.s.sages.

It does not appear whether _Ophelia's_ Madness was chiefly for her Father's Death, or for the Loss of _Hamlet_. It is not often that young Women run mad for the Loss of their Fathers. It is more natural to suppose, that like _Chimene_ in the _Cid_, her great Sorrow proceeded from her Father's being kill'd by the Man she lov'd, and thereby making it indecent for her ever to marry him.

Page 351.

In _Hamlet's_ leaping into _Ophelia's_ Grave, (which is express'd with great Energy and Force of Pa.s.sion) we have the first real Proof of his Love for her, which during this whole Piece has been forced to submit to Pa.s.sions of greater Weight and Force, and here is suffered to break out chiefly, as it is necessary towards the Winding up of the Piece. It is but an Under-Pa.s.sion in the Play, and seems to be introduced more to conform to the Plan our Poet built upon, than for any Thing else; tho'

as the whole Play is managed, it conduces towards the Conclusion, as well as it diversifies, and adds Beauties to the whole Piece.

Page 357.

The Scene of the Fop _Osrick_ is certainly intended as a Satire upon the young Courtiers of those Days, and is humourously express'd, but is, I think, improper for Tragedy.

Hamlet's feeling, as it were, a Presage in his own Breast, of the Misfortune impending from his accepting _Laertes's_ Challenge, is beautiful; and we are to note, that our Author in several of his Plays, has brought in the chief Personages as having a sort of prophetick Idea of their Death; as in _Romeo_ and _Juliet_. It was (I doubt not) the Opinion of the Age he lived in.

Laertes's Death, and the Queen's, are truly poetical Justice, and very naturally brought about; although I do not conceive it to be so easy to change Rapiers in a Scuffle, without knowing it at the Time.

The Death of the Queen is particularly according to the strictest Rules of Justice, for she loses her Life by the Villany of the very Person, who had been the Cause of all her Crimes.

Page 364.

Since the Poet deferred so long the Usurper's Death, we must own, that he has very naturally effected it, and still added fresh Crimes to those the Murderer had already committed.

Upon _Laertes's_ Repentance for contriving the Death of _Hamlet_, one cannot but feel some Sentiments of Pity for him; but who can see or read the Death of the young Prince without melting into Tears and Compa.s.sion?

<script>